It isn’t new, sensationalism has been used in newspapers for
more than a century – Catchy headlines, little authentic research, and even
less verification of facts… printing stories to sell with no guarantee of true information.
No wonder there are skeptics who call journalists all types of names.
Journalists have an obligation to be honest with the news
they print and not to present written material for being anything it isn’t. If
an article is true researched fact, an accounting of an event or presentation
of information, and without personal bias, sponsorship or endorsement, it is an
editorial. If an article has been purchased by a person or business for the
purpose of highlighting positives and generating beneficial interest, even
while sounding factual, that is an advertorial and should be identified as
such. Op-ed, or opinion pieces, present personal opinions that are attributed
to the author and not necessarily the management of the publication.
Satire and opinion pieces, even if based on some reality, are
biased even if thought-provoking pieces. Reading them may be entertaining or
even eye-openers, but should not be held as the final word. Papers, like The
Onion, do not hide behind the satire they produce — they present stories based
on real life news items poking fun, sounding outrageous and ridiculing the “facts”
or rumors. Political or Editorial Cartoons are illustrated commentaries,
commentary by its very definition is an expressed view as in opinion.
All forms of articles and news reporting have their
appropriate place and writers or artists have particular talents that make them
worthy pieces, but again, the main thing is how it is represented. Bloggers
should also represent what they produce truthfully. Statements such as “in my
opinion”, “according to”, or even “this book was provided
in exchange for an honest review” help to clarify the veracity of a subject. When stating an
opinion in an otherwise unbiased article it’s a good idea to put the opinion in
quotes which could be attributed to a specific speaker.
As writers we
owe our readers honesty. We should never mask our fiction as fact no matter how
probable we want it to sound. Don’t make up or present alleged “facts” without
verifying their authenticity. And don’t twist quotes or present only pieces in
order to change the intended meaning.
Writing Exercise: Using an authentic news article, rewrite the
information as a satire. Don’t forget to include a cute, catchy title.
Writing Prompt: Whether reading your local paper or listening
to a television news report, decide, to the best of your ability, what information
sounds like opinion and what information sounds truthful.
Challenge Assignment: Choose any current news item and research
facts presented to see if the reporting is true or false. Search several
sources, different media both on and off line… don’t be afraid to read reports
in other newspapers or listen to other news reports. When you are satisfied
whether the piece is true of false, write a brief summation with your findings.
